Which one of these sub-compact SUVs will keep family and friends comfortable for longer when you are out on that road trip?

The XUV300 is the widest and has the longest wheelbase while the WR-V and EcoSport are longest and tallest, respectively, on paper.

Mahindra XUV300 and Ford EcoSport get generous front row space followed by the WR-V and Nexon, which are closely matched.

Maruti Vitara Brezza’s cabin is closely matched with the Nexon but the former’s cabin is a bit wider.

The rear row space numbers are the best for Nexon followed by the WR-V.

We recently tested the Mahindra XUV300, pitting its real-world performance numbers against that of its competitors. Now, it’s time to see which of these SUVs offers the most spacious and comfortable cabin.

Before we proceed let’s look at the dimensions of the SUVs to later connect the dots and find out whether bigger outer dimensions directly result in better interior space.

As per the numbers, the XUV300 is the widest and has the highest wheelbase -- but does that translate into better cabin space? We let the interior dimensions figures answer that.

Front-row Space

Dimensions (mm)

Mahindra XUV300

Maruti Vitara Brezza

Tata Nexon

Ford EcoSport

Honda WR-V

Legroom (min-max)

935-1110

890-1060

900-1050

955-1105

925-1055

Kneeroom (min-max)

575-805

570-740

580-770

635-825

525-750

Seat base length

495

480

480

495

490

Seat base width

480

520

510

495

505

Seat back height

645

595

615

610

580

Head room (min-max for driver)

885-975

950-990

965-1020

870-1005

900-920

Cabin width

1370

1410

1405

1320

1400

(Ford EcoSport)

Both the EcoSport and the XUV300 are closely matched in offering the most legroom and kneeroom. The Nexon and Vitara Brezza have near-similar leg- and knee-room along with the seat base length and width.

(Tata Nexon)

The Honda WR-V offers better legroom than the Nexon but the latter provides higher kneeroom. Underthigh support according to the seat base length will be similar in all the cars but for those with a broader lower body, the Nexon will be more suitable followed by the WR-V.

(Mahindra XUV300)

The XUV300’s front row seats have the highest seat back height, which should make it better suited to passengers with bigger torsos. The WR-V has the shortest seat back, so taller passengers might not find enough back comfort in it. When it comes to headroom, it is the highest in the Tata Nexon by quite a margin, followed by the EcoSport, Vitara Brezza, XUV300 and then the WR-V.

(Honda WR-V)

While the first row in all these SUVs will be accommodating enough for the driver and passenger, it will be the Vitara Brezza, Nexon and the WR-V that give a better sense of space since these have the longest cabin width.

(Vitara Brezza)

Rear-row Space

Dimensions (mm)

Mahindra XUV300

Maruti Vitara Brezza

Tata Nexon

Ford EcoSport

Honda WR-V

Shoulder room

1330

1400

1385

1225

1270

Head room

925

950

970

930

940

Kneeroom (min-max)

600-830

625-860

715-905

595-890

740-990

Seat base length

445

460

510

480

480

Seat base width

1320

1300

1220

1230

1270

Seat back height

650

600

610

610

570

The Nexon offers the best head room, under thigh support and second best knee room among the five cars. However, fitting three passengers might be a squeeze as it has the smallest seat base width.

The Maruti Vitara Brezza offer the highest shoulder room and second best seat base width, so seating three abreast will be the easiest in it compared to the rest. It has the second best headroom along with decent kneeroom. Seat base length and backrest height is at par with its rivals so expect decent underthigh and back support even for passengers in the 6-feet range.

The third best shoulder room is in the XUV300 but its headroom is the lowest of the lot. Despite having the longest wheelbase, knee room and seat base length are the lowest here, which results in the lowest thigh support. That said, the seat base and backrest numbers are the highest, which should help it seat three passengers better than the rest.

When it comes to shoulder room, the Honda WR-V is better than the EcoSport but far behind the Nexon and XUV. Headroom inside the car is third best after Tata and Maruti but when it comes to knee room, the WR-V trumps all. Seat base on the Honda is just as big as the EcoSport in length, while it is second to the XUV in width. Occupants with a bigger upper body might not find the lower seat back on the WR-V any friendly.

The EcoSport has the least shoulder room while the headroom is just minutely less than the Vitara Brezza’s. The knee room is a bit better than the Maruti but well behind the Honda and Tata. The seat base length and width is just about average while the seat backrest is at par with the Nexon.

For the front row space, it will be the EcoSport that provides the biggest seat but the others aren’t any bad. But if you want a better sense of overall space, the shoulder width of the Vitara Brezza is better than all of its rivals. Those with preference for the rear row will find the Vitara Brezza and the Nexon to be better picks as these two offer the best mix of head and shoulder room, amplifying the sense of spaciousness.